| Everyone knows that planning is essential to business. | | | | marketing plan throughout the year, so choose one |
| Yet, the average work at home professional does | | | | that has large blocks for you to write in. Resist the |
| not have a current marketing plan. Many don't feel | | | | urge to use the same calendar as you use for all |
| they have the time or the skills to create a | | | | your business and family needs. You can add |
| marketing plan, however a marketing plan can save | | | | marketing tasks to your general calendar later if |
| both time and money and no special skills are | | | | having calendars is too confusing, but the planning |
| required to create a marketing plan. | | | | part should be done with a blank calendar. |
| What can a marketing plan do for your business? | | | | First, go through each month and identify the major |
| Just creating a marketing plan can benefit most | | | | holidays and events. This is easy because most |
| businesses immediately. It gets you thinking about | | | | calendars already have them marked off. Decide |
| marketing as an ongoing investment rather than the | | | | which of these holidays will lend themselves well to |
| haphazard approach that contributes to inconsistent | | | | your product or service. For instance, mother's day |
| results. Creating the plan can help clarify and distill | | | | won't be an ideal holiday if you are a consultant for |
| your goals into achievable tasks. Knowing what you | | | | toys (though you could try to promote certain toys |
| are going to advertise and when helps you narrow | | | | as sanity savers for moms the idea probably won't |
| down exactly how you are going to do it far in | | | | lead to a high volume of sales). |
| advance. Planning in this way can pay off big for your | | | | Second, you will want to enter dates that are |
| business. It can help you stay on budget and | | | | specific to your company. When is your spring |
| increasing profit margins by reducing marketing costs. | | | | product launch? Do you work with a company that |
| The resulting windfall can be used to pay off debts, | | | | has specific campaign start and end dates. Pencil in as |
| re-invest for growth or put into savings for the | | | | much of this information into your calendar. |
| future. | | | | Now, let's take a minute to go back over your |
| The immediate benefits can be quite astounding to | | | | holiday or special event promotions. If you work with |
| those new to planning. It can put you ahead of the | | | | a direct sales company, determine how long does it |
| competition in both advertising space and in | | | | take for items to be shipped. Count back from the |
| placement for events, online and off. The rules of | | | | event and add three days just in case and write this |
| some of these events prohibit two representatives | | | | on your calendar. You can skip adding the three days |
| of the same company from participating. By | | | | only if you are confident that your company always |
| researching the options early, you can take the time | | | | ships with precision and timeliness. Repeat this |
| to choose the events most likely to be profitable for | | | | process until you have a date which orders must be |
| you. Booking early for these events can ensure that | | | | in by for each holiday and special event. We'll get to |
| you secure a position at some of the most popular | | | | the actual marketing and promotion tactics a bit later. |
| events. Events like craft shows, bridal and baby fairs, | | | | Next you'll want to revisit those company specific |
| and other events often give preferential treatment | | | | dates. Count back 8 weeks from the product launch |
| to those who book early, including reduced rates, | | | | and mark that as the date when you'll start booking |
| preferential placement and any number of perks. | | | | forward with hostesses. This will also be the date |
| A marketing plan can help you budget purchases | | | | when you begin to call previous hostesses and |
| more effectively. For instance, if you plan to get a | | | | customers to get them lined up for the new season. |
| personalized item, such as pens, printed for a | | | | After you've established the basics, you'll want to |
| particular event you can price out the options in | | | | take a look at other promotional opportunities. If you |
| advance and begin setting aside money for the | | | | are involved in online or offline fairs, you'll want to |
| expense. If you happen to see a good sale or special | | | | slot these into your calendar. General dates are okay |
| in the meantime, you may decide to purchase early, | | | | at this point, but be sure to write these events on |
| possibly saving a significant amount depending on the | | | | your notepad so you can investigate and fill in the |
| sale. Without a plan, you may purchase these sorts | | | | details later. |
| of items without a solid purpose or end up leaving | | | | Finally, before we put away the calendar for this |
| the decision too late and have to pay for expedited | | | | exercise, book yourself one to two days a month to |
| production and delivery. Since these sorts of items | | | | follow up on special events for your customers. If |
| are often less expensive with higher quantities, | | | | you haven't been making an effort to record things |
| planning in advance can allow you to purchase enough | | | | like birthdays, anniversaries and other special events |
| to last through several, if not all, the events you | | | | in your customers' lives, you could be missing out on |
| have planned saving both with the lower unit price | | | | some wonderful sales opportunities as well as a |
| and by avoiding additional set-up fees common to | | | | chance to connect to your customers on a personal |
| most print jobs. | | | | level. |
| Ready? | | | | Step Four: The Nitty Gritty |
| Relax! This is quite likely not as hard as you fear it will | | | | Now comes the most labor intensive part of the |
| be. There's no need to face the process with | | | | process, putting it all together. You want to work to |
| trepidation. There is no reason to avoid it as a | | | | align your budget, your dates and your methods |
| daunting task that you need to procrastinate your | | | | together, so you can create a plan of action to take |
| way up to. | | | | you through the year. |
| As a small business you don't need a fancy program | | | | Let's take February as an example for a business |
| or any specialized knowledge to create your own | | | | that sells handcrafted jewelry. In this business the |
| marketing plan. Your marketing plan doesn't need to | | | | owner has decided to use 10% of last year's income |
| be drawn out and complicated; it simply has to meet | | | | to determine the marketing budget for this year. In |
| your needs. You don't need a marketing plan that | | | | February of last year the income was $600, giving a |
| conforms to corporate level standards. It simply | | | | budget of $60 in total. However, it costs the owner |
| needs to keep you on track and moving towards | | | | a steady rate of $10 per month for hosting charges |
| your personal business goals. | | | | for a website and has an ongoing ad for $5/month at |
| Get Set... | | | | a shop at home website. That leaves $45 for the |
| Before you begin, block off at least one hour of | | | | marketing expenses for this month. |
| time. If you have young children at home, you may | | | | She doesn't feel that this is enough for this year |
| want to book two hours to allow time for | | | | because she really wants to increase sales for this |
| interruptions. Once you've blocked off this time, you | | | | year. She peeks ahead in her marketing calendar and |
| will want to gather up your supplies. | | | | sees she has no major promotion for March, and her |
| If you are a paper planner you will need: | | | | next big promotion is a spring promotion around |
| A notepad | | | | Easter. She takes half of March's budget of $75 |
| A calculator | | | | (after website and set advertising)and allots the |
| A calendar | | | | funds February and April ($37.50 each), choosing to |
| A pen | | | | do as much free promotion in March as possible. |
| A pencil | | | | Now, being handcrafted, it takes time to create and |
| Highlighters | | | | ship orders. While some orders can be created in |
| Post It Notes | | | | advance, the owner doesn't feel confident in her |
| *Easy Access to past and present business records | | | | ability to gauge the most popular pieces in advance. |
| Working near the computer (if you keep your | | | | So, she doesn't like using supplies, if possible until the |
| records online) or filing cabinet will ensure you can | | | | orders come in. She decides to allow 5 days for |
| keep working. If your records are all over the place, | | | | production and another 5 for shipping. That means all |
| take the time to gather them in one place even if | | | | online orders must be in by February 4th for |
| they aren't organized. You may have to do additional | | | | Valentine Delivery and February 9th for local orders. |
| calculations to make the marketing plan effective, but | | | | She decides to run her Valentine Promotion beginning |
| at least you won't have to search the entire house | | | | on January 20th. Since the promotion starts in |
| to do it. | | | | January, she decides to use a percentage of |
| If you are a computer planner you will want | | | | January's marketing budget $40 (after website and |
| programs that can allow for the simulation of the | | | | standard ad) for February's promotion as well. It's an |
| paper supplies. Most word processors can easily | | | | 11 day promotion out of a 31 day month, which is |
| handle this, though you may have to download a | | | | 35% of the month. This gives a dollar amount of $14. |
| calendar template. You may choose to use a | | | | She now was $96.50 to devote to her marketing |
| scheduling program if you are comfortable with using | | | | efforts for the Valentine's Day promotion. Now she |
| one, but there's no point to learning a new program | | | | has to decide which methods to use to promote her |
| for this task. Learning a new program while | | | | business. |
| developing a marketing plan can slow down the | | | | She first considers using chocolate hearts with her |
| creation process. | | | | business name on them and leaving them with a sign |
| Go! | | | | and display at the local mechanic. Unfortunately, at 25 |
| First read through all the steps before you begin. This | | | | cents a piece, the 500 minimum is too high to fit the |
| is important because you may choose to do some of | | | | budget. She loves the idea though, so makes a note |
| the steps out of order. | | | | on her notepad to reconsider the idea the following |
| Step One: The Budget | | | | year. |
| Your first task is to develop a marketing budget. | | | | She considers putting an ad in the local paper for the |
| Small businesses often find it necessary to budget | | | | weeks leading up to Valentine's Day. She would like |
| both money and time. Since money can be rather | | | | to be able to afford a display ad, but knows that |
| scarce, especially in the start up stages, you will have | | | | three ads would be more than her budget will allow |
| to invest time to take advantage of free and low | | | | for at $56.00 for a quarter-page. She makes a note |
| cost alternatives and undertake much of the | | | | to call her friend that makes candles, another who |
| marketing work yourself. | | | | creates gift baskets and ask them if they'll consider |
| How much to budget is a matter of debate. The | | | | doing a joint ad. She assumes they will and takes |
| exact amount will vary depending on the size of your | | | | $56.00 off her marketing budget. |
| business, your comfort with risk, and your long term | | | | She notes that there is an online expo that runs a |
| business goals. Someone with a small business who | | | | "Love is in the Air" expo on February 4th. It's cutting |
| wants business to grow big enough to support her | | | | it tight for creation and delivery, but decides she's |
| entire family within five years will choose to spend | | | | willing to work extra hard if necessary to complete |
| more than the business owner who is content to | | | | orders that may come in from the event. She sets |
| fund household extras. | | | | aside the $10.00 vendor fee. |
| If you are already in business, one way of coming up | | | | She then decides that she will use the remainder of |
| with a ballpark figure for your marketing budget is to | | | | her budget to directly market to the customers who |
| review your marketing expenses over the past year. | | | | bought around this time last year. She already has |
| If you haven't been in business for a year, add up | | | | general postcards and will print up individual letters. |
| what you have spent on marketing so far, divide the | | | | She figures printing and postage will take up the last |
| amount by the number of months you've been in | | | | $30.50. |
| business and multiply this figure by 12. From this | | | | With her budget gone, she starts to examine free |
| yearly figure, decide whether you would like to | | | | ideas for promotion. She decides to write three |
| increase, decrease or maintain this budget, keeping in | | | | articles for the month, one on buying appropriate |
| mind that you may be able to reduce some | | | | jewelry based on a woman's personality, one on |
| marketing costs through advance planning. You can | | | | jewelry care and one on romantic ideas for |
| add or reduce the figure using a set dollar amount or | | | | Valentine's Day. She puts the ideas onto her notepad |
| percentages. For example, if you spent $100 on | | | | and adds writing and distribution to her list. She also |
| marketing in the past year, you may want to | | | | jots down several related ideas to enter into her |
| increase it by a modest 10% or a more aggressive | | | | blog. Then she thinks about the specials she will offer |
| target of $1000 in an effort to expand. | | | | to her newsletter list and the ads that she'll create |
| If you are not yet in business and developing a | | | | for the advertising lists, networks and forums that |
| marketing plan, look at your sales goals and decide | | | | she's on. |
| on a percentage of sales (or profit) that you are | | | | The process is repeated with each month and each |
| willing to re-invest into marketing. At 10% a sales | | | | promotional period that she's set throughout the |
| goal of $3000 would net a $300 marketing budget. If | | | | calendar year. |
| you are basing your budget on retail sales, you will | | | | Step Five: Making it happen |
| want to make sure you can still make a reasonable | | | | Using a PDA or a planner system, putting specific |
| profit. If you are in direct sales and receive 40% | | | | tasks and deadlines through the calendar year can |
| commission, this scenario would leave $900 remaining | | | | help keep everything on track throughout the year. |
| after marketing expenses. Adjust the figure up or | | | | When you experience a lull or slow period in your |
| down until you feel comfortable committing to it for | | | | business you can write ads or articles for future |
| at least six months no matter what your sales | | | | events. You could even write all your ads for the |
| figures dictate. | | | | year at one go, to create a consistent feel and flow. |
| Don't worry too much if your marketing budget | | | | You could create blog entries or articles for your |
| seems miniscule. There are a variety of ways to | | | | newsletter months in advance of busy periods, when |
| stretch a marketing budget. Look for the article on | | | | you know you'll be too busy to concentrate on those |
| this topic (Stretching your marketing dollar) next | | | | tasks. You could also create your web pages for |
| week. | | | | specials in advance. |
| Step Two: The Methods | | | | Step Six: Measuring |
| After the often challenging task of developing a | | | | Don't leave measuring your results till the end of your |
| budget, this next step will undoubtedly be a breeze | | | | marketing calendar. Assess your results after each |
| for you. If you are already in business make a list of | | | | promotional period or at minimum once a month. If a |
| the methods and venues you are currently using and | | | | certain venue or method isn't working for you, you'll |
| have used in the past year. This includes both free | | | | want to adjust your plan and re-allocate your |
| and paid marketing opportunities. Things that you | | | | resources so they can be put to best use. |
| might be adding include: | | | | Other Hints and Tips: |
| Article Writing | | | | It's important to keep in mind that marketing takes |
| Networking Groups | | | | time to be effective. Don't pull an ad after one |
| Online Expos | | | | attempt in a new venue. It takes time and repetition |
| Advertising Groups | | | | for prospective customers to decide to click on over |
| Newsletter/Ezine Advertising | | | | to your site or give you a call. |
| Banner Ads | | | | Keep yourself out there and trying new ways to |
| Pay Per Click | | | | reach more customers. While it's important to be |
| Direct Mail | | | | consistent and stick with venues that work, you |
| Flyer/Sample Exchanges | | | | want to avoid reaching the point of saturation in any |
| Prize Giveaways | | | | area. So keep seeking out new areas to expand into. |
| Press Releases | | | | Always follow up and consider your current and past |
| After you've completed a comprehensive list of what | | | | customers in your marketing approach. Repeat |
| you've done, create another column or start another | | | | customers are less expensive to maintain than finding |
| page that covers what you would like to do in the | | | | new customers to replace them. |
| coming year. | | | | Don't forget to have fun! Marketing should not be all |
| Step Three: The Calendar | | | | drudgery and dirty work, it should be exciting. And |
| The calendar will become an integral part of your | | | | with a well thought out plan it should be. |